Well, college football fans, we did it. We survived another epic regular season of B1G football which is more than can be said for most teams around the conference (Hail to the Victors, eh Michigan?).

Week 13 is particularly noteworthy as Rivalry Week, and, this time around, the race to Indianapolis was up for grabs until the final weekend of action. Coming out of Week 13, Purdue and Michigan stand alone as division winners that will face off next Saturday for the conference championship.

With the B1G East and West officially decided, here is how Tradition’s Power Rankings look coming out of Week 13:

14. Northwestern (1-11)

Last week: vs. Illinois, L 41-3

Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats did it, producing Northwestern’s first season with 1 or 0 wins since an 0-11 mark in 1989. Fitzgerald maintains a secure job status, but there’s no denying he needs to adjust things moving forward. Failure to do so could result in a hot seat down the road.

13. Rutgers (4-8)

Last week: at Maryland, L 37-0

It’s hard to know if the Scarlet Knights took a step back in 2022 or if this will be used as a growth year for the program. Rutgers finishes the year 1-8 in conference play after 5 B1G wins across 2020-21. Greg Schiano has done some positive things since returning, but finding the right OC moving forward is crucial.

12. Indiana (4-8)

Last Week: vs. Purdue, L 30-16

Indiana finishes the year with a couple of positive performances in a win over Michigan State and the loss to Purdue but plenty of questions remain for the future. The Hoosiers have won 6 games total across 2021-22 and missed a bowl in back-to-back seasons after winning 14 games across 2019-20. Can Tom Allen get this program to rebound?

11. Nebraska (4-8)

Last week: at Iowa, W 24-17

Mickey Joseph did it, leading Nebraska to a season-ending upset of Iowa in the Heroes Game. That win by the Huskers kept the Hawkeyes out of the B1G Championship Game with Trey Palmer putting his name in Nebraska’s record books in the process. Now, Nebraska can firmly turn the page and look forward to the Matt Rhule era in Lincoln.

10. Michigan State (5-7)

Last week: at Penn State, L 35-16

Recapturing the magic the Spartans displayed in 2021 was always a tall task for Michigan State. However, it is the off-field issues that have produced some big question marks for Mel Tucker’s culture in East Lansing. Michigan State will need to address those items in the offseason while also improving its on-field performance in 2023.

9. Wisconsin (6-6)

Last week: vs. Minnesota, L 23-16

Is Jim Leonhard going to be the full-time coach in Madison moving forward? All signs continue to point that way, but Wisconsin’s performance to end the season was similar to how it began. Some of those struggles are not on Leonhard, but they do illustrate it will not be an easy — or quick — task to get the Badgers back to an elite level.

8. Maryland (7-5)

Last week: vs. Rutgers, W 37-0

Entering 2021, Maryland was looking for some growth in Mike Locksley’s third season with the program. The Terps found it and made a bowl game before turning in an even bigger season in 2022. Maryland finishes the year with 7 regular-season wins for the first time since 2014. The Terps can also finish with back-to-back bowl wins for the first time since 2002-03.

tie-5. Illinois (8-4)

Last Week: at Northwestern, W 41-3

As Bret Bielema put it after Saturday’s win, there are reasons to be “excited as hell” about Illinois. The schedule in November produced some disappointing results but the Illini can be competitive against top-tier opponents in Year 2 under Bielema. Illinois will also be playing for its first 9-win season since 2007 during its bowl game.

tie-5. Minnesota (8-4)

Last Week: at Wisconsin, W 23-16

There were plenty of letdowns for Minnesota throughout the year, but PJ Fleck does deserve some respect and a lot of credit for 2022. The Gophers rebounded time and time again while rolling with injury punches throughout the year. Fleck produced his 3rd win against Wisconsin, gave Minnesota back-to-back wins for the Axe for the first time since 1993-94 and has the Gophers in a position to play for back-to-back 9-win seasons.

tie-5. Iowa (7-5)

Last week: vs. Nebraska, L 24-17

Iowa’s Black Friday comeback was too little too late against Nebraska. Playing without starting QB Spencer Petras, star TE Sam LaPorta and star DB Cooper DeJean (Petras and DeJean were injured early in the game), the Hawkeyes let a chance to play for a B1G Championship slip through their fingers. Iowa will still get a bowl game, but the bigger question is what Kirk Ferentz does with the offense moving forward.

4. Purdue (8-4)

Last week: at Indiana, W 30-16

Is Purdue the most improbable B1G West champion to date? The Boilermakers can certainly make a case but will advance to Indianapolis after prevailing in the topsy-turvy West this season. Jeff Brohm’s squad will be heavy underdogs against Michigan but they’ll still try to shock the world all the same behind Aidan O’Connell, Charlie Jones and company.

3. Penn State (10-2)

Last week: vs. Michigan State, W 35-16

James Franklin produced his 4th 10-win season in Happy Valley with a win over Michigan State. But even bigger than those 10 wins is the hope the Nittany Lions displayed for the future. With some strong recruiting and nice freshmen years from Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and Drew Allar, Penn State has the makings of the firepower needed to once agian go toe-to-toe with Michigan and Ohio State.

2. Ohio State (11-1)

Last week: vs. Michigan, L 45-23

Is it possible to come up with a worse second half in a crucial season finale than Ohio State did in The Game? Honestly, the Buckeyes were outcoached and outplayed on their home turf in a game where Ohio State was supposed to have the extra factor of motivation in play. The defense was an eye-sore while giving up huge home run plays time after time, but Ryan Day’s offensive playcalling was also timid, unimaginative and non-aggressive.

1. Michigan (12-0)

Last week: at Ohio State, W 45-23

Is it possible to have a better two-year stretch in B1G play than Jim Harbaugh’s squad? Save for a second-half collapse against Michigan State last season, Michigan would be trying to complete back-to-back 13-0 regular seasons. As it stands, the Wolverines enter a second straight B1G Championship with a 24-1 record outside of the College Football Playoff since the start of 2021. Not bad for a program that was left for dead after the COVID season of 2020.